Bengals capitalize after Cowboys’ punt hits scoreboard

Posted by Mike Wilkening on August 24, 2013, 9:10 PM EDT

AP

Only at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

One of the odder sequences in NFL history unfolded in Saturday’s Cincinnati-Dallas game. In the latter stages of the first quarter, the Cowboys’ Chris Jones had a punt hit the bottom of the gigantic videoboard at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

The play was reviewed, and Jones kicked again.

Jones’ next kick had good hang time, but it wasn’t quite as high — and it was much to the liking of the Bengals’ Brandon Tate, who returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.

To review: the Cowboys surrendered a touchdown on a re-kick after a punt hit the giant scoreboard.

It’s crazy that the rules allow for a team to insert obstacles that can interfere with plays on the field. It should be a penalty in the game and then fined for each occurrence of delay in accordance with not being not up to stadium-design code.

Yeah, it’s a major problem all right. I mean twice in the whole time the stadium has been open and both times during preseason. An absolutely catastrophic problem if you ask me. How can this be permitted to continue?

The problem isn’t that the kick hit the scoreboard The problem is the special teams play on the part of the Cowboys (or the lack thereof). The Cowboys have been HORRENDOUS on special teams all preseason.

The kick today was only the second time since 2009, and the Tennessee kicker Trapasso was trying to hit it – anybody can google it and see there was no angle on that particular kick). Matt McBriar played 8 games in the stadium every season for 3 years, and never hit it. Nor did any other kickers that played in the stadium until today. And by the way, H8ters, the scoreboard height was approved by the NFL. Don’t blame this on Jerrah.

They better get the special teams issues worked out before week one, or ST coach Bisaccia may very well be looking for work.

The last time the scoreboard was hit during a game the guy tried to hit the screen intentionally. Idk what our punter was doing, but the kid on the bengals made a play and you guys want to blame Jerry Jones. Go look at that screen in person and TELL me you don’t want it in your stadium. Ok discussion over

nola5712 says:Aug 24, 2013 10:02 PM

@socialmediaisforgirls – wow 8 players? In the last 20 years that are worth anything? That’s definitely something to be proud of! And yes I can count; 9 players you listed, but Tony Romo was found by Sean Payton not Jerrah. Payton’s last parting gift to the cowpolks, makes me love my team’s coach even more. Jones is an awful GM.

Funny you should mention playoff wins for ANY owner. Playoff wins don’t mean anything in the NFL. Ask Ralph Wilson (owner of the Bills) how the 4 consecutive playoff appearances and 4 consecutive AFC Championship wins worked out for him from 89-93. Nobody remembers them for winning every playoff game 4 years in a row. They are only remembered for losing 4 SB’s in a row.

Only SB wins are what ultimately count in this league – it’s why you play the game. Jerrah has 3 rings to show for his SB wins, which is 3 more than you or any other H8ter have. How many SB wins does your team’s GM have? Right…..

Try again, but please try a lot harder next time.

The Shoeman says:Aug 24, 2013 10:23 PM

The problem isn’t that the kick hit the scoreboard The problem is the special teams play on the part of the Cowboys (or the lack thereof). The Cowboys have been HORRENDOUS . . . . (Uh, you can stop there).

manofsteel22 says:Aug 24, 2013 10:27 PM

its funny how the only thing mentioned is this, ofcourse not the fact that our D and Romo and Co. have absolutely manhandled the bengals 1st string off/def.

The Shoeman says:Aug 24, 2013 10:36 PM

Playoff wins don’t mean anything in the NFL.

************************************************

speechless !

acdc84 says:Aug 24, 2013 10:45 PM

The Dallas punter got a do-over? How is that not a penalty on the home team??

wolfmanpatriot says:Aug 24, 2013 10:49 PM

Only SB wins are what ultimately count in this league – it’s why you play the game. Jerrah has 3 rings to show for his SB wins, which is 3 more than you or any other H8ter have. How many SB wins does your team’s GM have? Right

——————–

Coach Belichick has 5 rings, sucker.
How many rings the cowtoys have in this millennium?

wolfmanpatriot says:Aug 24, 2013 10:55 PM

One poster suggested a kicker needs to concentrate on missing the screen by angling his kick?

Titans did have a “camp leg” punter hit it, in the very first preseason game ever played in the new stadium. Jerry Jones, at the time:

Jones said a punter needed to kick the ball “straight up and hard” to have any chance of making contact with the board. He didn’t understand why anyone would take that approach.

…I also remember Jeff Fisher (being a member of the competition committee) showing more concern about the potential issue the scoreboard could create, and Jones brushing it off saying it was no big deal, rule was it would just be a re-kick.

And now Jerry’s own player went and kicked it straight up and hard, and the re-kick cost the ‘Boys a touchdown? Now THAT’S funny.

So thats the play Bengals fans are pointing too. Dallas went up and down field at will on yall. No answers for Dez or Miles. Only awesome player I saw on Bengals was Atkins(guy is a beast.) Other than that Dallas spanked yall in all phases of the most important pre season game.

fatguystrangler says:Aug 25, 2013 8:38 AM

The only other time I’ve seen something like this happen is when we played street football when I was a kid, and the ball hit a low hanging cable or power line.

It’s so funny that 90% of these comments are from people who are not cowboys fans. You guys talk crap about the cowboys every chance u can get… Why do u read every article about the Cowboys? All the cowboy haters read more about the cowboys then their own team haha losers

Haters are salivating over this one, and without surprise, as no matter what happens, it is always Jerrah’s fault according to the haters. Had no TD been scored by Cincy, I bet the story would have still been written by Wilkening, but only because it had to do with the Cowboys.

The NFL approved the height of the scoreboard when the stadium was built, but conveniently this is left out of the story. When Trapasso hit the scoreboard in pre-season in 2009, he intentionally did so – watch the film. Jones also has a very strong leg – what can you say.

Matt McBriar who was considered among the best in the league, punted for Dallas in 2009-2011 in the new stadium and never hit the screen, NOR did ANY OTHER visiting punter over that 3 year span.

In summary, it has happened twice in now in over 4 seasons, and I simply see it as another wake-up call for the special teams of the Cowboys. They have been terrible all pre-season, and the ST coach better get his unit playing a lot better.